Roses Are Red, Violets Are Too, This ONT Was Made Just For You

Welcome to Friday's ONT! Shocking news out of New York today:

Fido Friday: Skatedog

pic.twitter.com/E98desU4EV
— ONT WTF (@OntWtf) July 24, 2026

Ice cream

Left turn, Clyde

They call him Tex

pic.twitter.com/Cxu0o3zm8P
— ONT WTF (@OntWtf) July 24, 2026

Tonight's map

One Reddit banning I understand

Oh, I can do that

pic.twitter.com/ve2ytJzsWd
— ONT WTF (@OntWtf) July 25, 2026

What are you having?

Food chain

An attempt was made

pic.twitter.com/JYkx9HYfgK
— ONT WTF (@OntWtf) July 25, 2026

Collect them all

Feline Friday: Cats want equal time!

Neat story

pic.twitter.com/UQy88FViBV
— ONT WTF (@OntWtf) July 25, 2026

Smart guy

Cut 'em down!

Standup

pic.twitter.com/9oZ3HGk08x
— ONT WTF (@OntWtf) July 25, 2026

Repurposing

He's got his own sign

AI slop

pic.twitter.com/COJKOU5UVz
— ONT WTF (@OntWtf) July 25, 2026

Iraq

Tonight's ONT has been brought to you by the pleasure of a good book:

Posted by: WeirdDave at 10:00 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 “Across the sea of space, the stars are other suns.”
—Carl Sagan

Profundity on the level of Kamala Harris.

Posted by: mindful webworker - small screen for small budgets at July 24, 2026 10:00 PM (jrd4M)

2 Roustabout

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 24, 2026 10:01 PM (6T7Go)

3 Keep Fridays weird

Posted by: nckate at July 24, 2026 10:02 PM (enNUy)

4 Hola

Posted by: Thanatopsis at July 24, 2026 10:03 PM (EJE3y)

5 Evening, all.

Posted by: Caf at July 24, 2026 10:03 PM (2E7lB)

6 Great ONT!

Except that last meme kinda blows.....

Posted by: mikeski at July 24, 2026 10:04 PM (VHUov)

7 Nice fridge.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 24, 2026 10:05 PM (6T7Go)

8 Good evening Horde. Thanks WD!

Tex is good. Wow.

Posted by: TRex - shot caller dino at July 24, 2026 10:05 PM (MiwIw)

9 Good evening, good Morons!

Posted by: Matthew Kant Cipher at July 24, 2026 10:07 PM (kOluj)

10 Hey, Mandami, there's a fellow down in Mexico, calls himself Batman, deals with cheap thieves like you. You're on his list.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 24, 2026 10:07 PM (6T7Go)

11
This ONT sounded better in the original Sumarian.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at July 24, 2026 10:07 PM (O0L8i)

12 Evenin'

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at July 24, 2026 10:08 PM (m5P/4)

13 Collect them all

Apparently-not-named-Chloe is a 1!

Posted by: mikeski at July 24, 2026 10:09 PM (VHUov)

14 Great ONT!

That last meme in particular is awesome...

Posted by: Archimedes at July 24, 2026 10:14 PM (Riz8t)

15 Looney Tunes comedian was kind of lame. Kept pausing, and looking at the audience, "Clap, you fuckers!"

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at July 24, 2026 10:14 PM (1z8ji)

16 Tonight's ONT has been brought to you by the pleasure of a good book:

Wow. That took a while. Very creative.

Posted by: t-bird at July 24, 2026 10:14 PM (rkCBr)

17 I wouldn't eat the steak but only because it's almost 9 years past its sell by date.

Posted by: Meat is tasty delicious murder at July 24, 2026 10:15 PM (TbWk/)

18 I just noticed who the Bene Gesserit is.

Posted by: Archimedes at July 24, 2026 10:15 PM (Riz8t)

19 I would not have a problem dining on a Chloe steak. A Hillary steak, though, might be tougher than a Vibram sole.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at July 24, 2026 10:16 PM (1z8ji)

20 That skater dog is amazing.

Posted by: davidt at July 24, 2026 10:16 PM (Q+gd/)

21 A Hillary steak, though, might be tougher than a Vibram sole.

Yeah, I generally prefer my steaks not be bitter and alcohol-soaked.

Posted by: Archimedes at July 24, 2026 10:17 PM (Riz8t)

22 Trump is kinda flat at the White House Correspondent's Dinner. Which makes me sad because I generally love his snarky jokes.

Posted by: Iris at July 24, 2026 10:17 PM (286+n)

23 I'm still PO'd at Jeri Ryan and her former husband - the aftermath of that situation gave us OBarky.

Posted by: Tonypete at July 24, 2026 10:18 PM (O6Iwc)

24 That skater dog is amazing.
Posted by: davidt at July 24, 2026 10:16 PM (Q+gd/)

Agreed. He seems to really be able to control that skateboard. Of course, if he falls off, he has only six inches to fall. I seem to remember some folks in New Zealand trained dogs to drive cars.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at July 24, 2026 10:19 PM (1z8ji)

25 No one is eating MY Chloe!

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at July 24, 2026 10:22 PM (FZ29D)

26 Skateboard dog is AI.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 24, 2026 10:22 PM (6T7Go)

27 I just asked J why I have this sliver of the bed and the 25 pound dog is stretched all the way out with way more room. He said because Saijo is cute. 😡

Posted by: Piper at July 24, 2026 10:23 PM (Dd38x)

28 "Shocking news out of New York" — I wasn't all that old when I figured out that Metropolis and Gotham were long-standing synonyms for New York. The map DC eventually published of their superhero cities was so lame, I had to go to Marvel comics in protest. Excelsior!

Skatedog — that's some impressive navigating. Hard to believe it's not AI. Or is it?

Ice cream — the plot of a cheap horror movie

They call him Tex — that thar's some mighty fancy shootin, Tex.🤠

What fans would consider to be Superman's Kryptonite — serious face-palm. Reminds me of the TV bimbette who said her favorite Marvel superhero was Superman. You know, with great power comes great responsibility.

Pool trick — had to be on purpose. Too stupid to be an accident.

Neat story — Cleaning out the old shed, we recently ran across my older sister's 1963 high school year book, her Junior year. A little musty. We cleaned it up as much as possible and mailed it to her. She was appropriately amused.

AI slop — slop indeed. So much potential, wasted.

Thanks for another grand Friday ONT, WeirdDave. And not a bit of music. Works for me.

Posted by: mindful webworker - small screen for small budgets at July 24, 2026 10:23 PM (jrd4M)

29 I watched Citizen Vigilante and it has some issues. The pacing is off and I think a better director/writer would have put a little more subtlety in.

But...Uwe Boll is willing to make a movie about one of the biggest problems in the world right now so I give him credit for that.

And one thing occured to me...the left gave itself awards for making One Battle After Another a movie about lefties murdering normal people, while damming Citizen Vigilante for having a vigilante kill criminals...and every action gets explained in detail as to why he does what he does...

Posted by: 18-1 at July 24, 2026 10:24 PM (sKqQm)

30 The PETA sticker on the steak says "don't buy it". the cow is already dead and butchered. Do they want this cow's death to be for nothing?

Posted by: Lemmiwinks at July 24, 2026 10:25 PM (9CZQg)

31 Mindful Webworker - God bless you for your assessment of the Blowhard of the Century.

Posted by: Boomer at July 24, 2026 10:25 PM (9EaCT)

32 Looney Tunes comedian was kind of lame. Kept pausing, and looking at the audience, "Clap, you fuckers!"
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at July 24, 2026 10:14 PM (1z8ji)

The only thing that made me smile was Bugs in women's clothing making Fudd bothered.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at July 24, 2026 10:25 PM (1Ff7Z)

33 >> “Across the sea of space, the stars are other suns.”
—Carl Sagan

Across the sea of space, our sun is but another star.

Now, let's ponder the significance of the passage of time.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at July 24, 2026 10:26 PM (w6EFb)

34 Superman is kind of boring because even his kryptonite isn't kryptonite - it might make him gay or something but he'll always still beat whoever uses it against him.

Posted by: 18-1 at July 24, 2026 10:26 PM (sKqQm)

35 AC/DC ruined...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02DUSQfBZFY

Posted by: davidt at July 24, 2026 10:26 PM (Q+gd/)

36 U.S. Central Command - @CENTCOM - Jul 23

U.S. forces started another night of strikes against Iranian military targets at 6:45 p.m. ET today. This is the 13th consecutive night of strikes aimed to hold Iran accountable and diminish threats from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to commercial shipping

TAMPA, Fla. — U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces successfully completed the 13th straight night of strikes against Iran, July 23, at 9 p.m. ET.

CENTCOM targeted Iranian military command centers, drone storage facilities, communication networks, coastal surveillance sites, and maritime capabilities to further diminish the threat Iran poses to civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

The international waterway remains open for transit despite recent attacks from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Commercial vessels continue to freely navigate the strait with U.S. military support.

More than 50,000 U.S. service members are currently operating across the Middle East.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 24, 2026 10:26 PM (6T7Go)

37 Sagan is one of those guys that intentionally exaggerated the impact of nuclear war to stop the west from using them.

The Soviets knew the western claims were false so they didn't care...

Posted by: 18-1 at July 24, 2026 10:27 PM (sKqQm)

38 Wheated bourbon is good, neat.

Posted by: goatexchange at July 24, 2026 10:27 PM (hyS0X)

39 The only thing that made me smile was Bugs in women's clothing making Fudd bothered.
Posted by: OrangeEnt

Pointing out all the speech impediments was "things that make you go 'hmm,'" but not "LOL."

Posted by: mikeski at July 24, 2026 10:27 PM (VHUov)

40 The little cop was pretty awesome.

Posted by: Bang! Ding! Ow! at July 24, 2026 10:27 PM (JM9I6)

41 The PETA sticker on the steak says "don't buy it". the cow is already dead and butchered. Do they want this cow's death to be for nothing?
Posted by: Lemmiwinks at July 24, 2026 10:25 PM (9CZQg)
---
Yes.

They'd rather slaughter countless pets rather than let you raise a pet to be your loving companion.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at July 24, 2026 10:28 PM (FZ29D)

42 Re: the Cafe, my DIL still calls their male cat "her". All dogs are "him". Love her, but smh!

Posted by: DanMa'am at July 24, 2026 10:28 PM (8uzBS)

43 Fucking Mariners.

Posted by: nurse ratched. at July 24, 2026 10:29 PM (yEz+x)

44 Big fabrication job today. Cut the old 2" iron caster wheels off a 3-wheel engine stand, welded outriggers on the frame, and welded on 5-inch urethane-tired casters. Now I can roll it over turf, no problem. And I made a new engine bracket to fit any Studebaker Champion six cylinder engine. Cut a piece of 2" galvanized water pipe, welded it to a Champion engine plate (goes between engine block and bellhousing) and gusseted that joint with 4 gussets cut from flat bar. Burned a mittfull of 7018 rods, too. Bolted the newly-made adapter to a 185 block, and it fits the stand like a glove. And rolls around like a baby buggy. Woot! A custom-made engine adapter like that goes in in next to no time at all; so much easier than fucking around with the adjustable one.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at July 24, 2026 10:29 PM (1z8ji)

45
Ol' Carl beclowned himself with that nuclear winter from the Kuwaiti oil well fires business.

That was really sad.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at July 24, 2026 10:29 PM (w6EFb)

46 Pointing out all the speech impediments was "things that make you go 'hmm,'" but not "LOL."
Posted by: mikeski at July 24, 2026 10:27 PM (VHUov)

That is essentially it.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at July 24, 2026 10:30 PM (1Ff7Z)

47 This clarifies some things:

@trump_repost
11h
President Xi, at our recent meeting in Beijing, China, told me that he would not, under any circumstances, give or sell Weapons to the Islamic Republic of Iran — And that statement included Chinese Companies. Considering our relationship, I take him at his word and, besides, l am doing him very big favors, also.

Likewise, President Putin, despite the horrible War going on in Ukraine (The relationship remains, as it does with President Zelenskyy), told me that he would not sell Weapons to Iran. He understands that I do not sell Weapons to Ukraine, but to NATO Countries. They pay full price, and how those Weapons are distributed, I have no idea.

Therefore, two major Countries that people speak of often in terms of Iran are, in my opinion, not participating. If they did, it would be very bad for them — Certainly not in their best interests. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 24, 2026 10:31 PM (6T7Go)

48 Yeah, Porky Pig saying impediment...

Posted by: davidt at July 24, 2026 10:31 PM (Q+gd/)

49 Superman is kind of boring because even his kryptonite isn't kryptonite - it might make him gay or something but he'll always still beat whoever uses it against him.
Posted by: 18-1 at July 24, 2026 10:26 PM (sKqQm)
---
Yeah, he's so overpowered it's really hard to write stories that provide him with a challenge.

Depowering him via kryptonite is a common technique just to make him more human and vulnerable to an actual threat.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at July 24, 2026 10:31 PM (FZ29D)

50 AOP...
SHOWOFF!

Posted by: Boomer at July 24, 2026 10:32 PM (9EaCT)

51 44 Big fabrication job today. Cut the old 2" iron caster wheels off a 3-wheel engine stand, welded outriggers on the frame, and welded on 5-inch urethane-tired casters. Now I can roll it over turf, no problem. And I made a new engine bracket to fit any Studebaker Champion six cylinder engine. Cut a piece of 2" galvanized water pipe, welded it to a Champion engine plate (goes between engine block and bellhousing) and gusseted that joint with 4 gussets cut from flat bar. Burned a mittfull of 7018 rods, too. Bolted the newly-made adapter to a 185 block, and it fits the stand like a glove. And rolls around like a baby buggy. Woot! A custom-made engine adapter like that goes in in next to no time at all; so much easier than fucking around with the adjustable one.

I pulled some weeds.

Posted by: Archimedes at July 24, 2026 10:32 PM (Riz8t)

52 AC/DC ruined...
https://youtu.be/02DUSQfBZFY
Posted by: davidt

Call & raise.

https://youtu.be/U8-UiNei9_U

Posted by: mikeski at July 24, 2026 10:32 PM (VHUov)

53 PDT

I love you. But if you trust Putin and Xi, you’ve lost your mind and need to resign.

Posted by: nurse ratched. at July 24, 2026 10:33 PM (gTtYa)

54 Yeah, he's so overpowered it's really hard to write stories that provide him with a challenge.

Depowering him via kryptonite is a common technique just to make him more human and vulnerable to an actual threat.
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel

His challenges are supposed to be moral and ethical, not physical or (personally) existential.

Posted by: mikeski at July 24, 2026 10:33 PM (VHUov)

55 Yeah, he's so overpowered it's really hard to write stories that provide him with a challenge.

What about if he ate a bunch of Taco Bell and then got on an elevator with other people? Would they live to reach their floor?

Posted by: Archimedes at July 24, 2026 10:34 PM (Riz8t)

56 >>Therefore, two major Countries that people speak of often in terms of Iran are, in my opinion, not participating. If they did, it would be very bad for them — Certainly not in their best interests. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP

If you believe Tousi's reporting, I'm not sure that's going to hold up unfortunately.

Posted by: JackStraw at July 24, 2026 10:34 PM (viF8m)

57 I love you. But if you trust Putin and Xi, you’ve lost your mind and need to resign.
Posted by: nurse ratched. at July 24, 2026 10:33 PM (gTtYa)

I doubt he trusts them. But they have been put on notice that any actions by them to supply weapons to Iran will not go unpunished.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at July 24, 2026 10:34 PM (1z8ji)

58 How many crimes did we see in that Ma Barker bike video.

1. Insurance fraud and/or extortion
2. Driving on the wrong side of the road (minor infraction)
3. Bike theft
4. Attempted burglary (the kid that stole the bike first fell over the fence leaving a property which is likely not his)
5. Littering (fell out of old ladies bike basket)

Posted by: Orson at July 24, 2026 10:36 PM (dIske)

59 What about if he ate a bunch of Taco Bell and then got on an elevator with other people? Would they live to reach their floor?
Posted by: Archimedes at July 24, 2026 10:34 PM (Riz8t)

When Superman farts, the Moon gets a new crater.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at July 24, 2026 10:36 PM (1z8ji)

60 What about if he ate a bunch of Taco Bell and then got on an elevator with other people? Would they live to reach their floor?
Posted by: Archimedes at July 24, 2026 10:34 PM (Riz8t)
---
I imagine Superman's stomach acids are so powerful that Taco Bell doesn't stand a chance.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at July 24, 2026 10:36 PM (FZ29D)

61 What about if he ate a bunch of Taco Bell and then got on an elevator with other people? Would they live to reach their floor?

Someone did the math on the force his, uh, baby batter, would have based on the increases in raw strength he has over a normal man in relation to other feats of strength

To put it simplify if he and Lois Lane had fun time he'd make her explode.

Posted by: 18-1 at July 24, 2026 10:37 PM (sKqQm)

62
Ol' Carl beclowned himself with that nuclear winter from the Kuwaiti oil well fires business.

That was really sad.
Posted by: publius

How long did he predict they would burn?

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at July 24, 2026 10:38 PM (Cqx++)

63
Good LordI turned on fox news and trump is absolutely bombing at the white house correspondents' dinner. Who the hell wrote that joke for him?

Posted by: Blonde Morticia's Phone at July 24, 2026 10:38 PM (mmrXZ)

64 And good evening!

Posted by: Blonde Morticia's Phone at July 24, 2026 10:38 PM (mmrXZ)

65 You just try sharing at a Waffle House and see what happens to you.

(I just don’t get the hype behind them. Sorry. YMMV.)

Posted by: Cow Demon at July 24, 2026 10:39 PM (4g5V+)

66 Hexie the Polydactyl Kitty Cat says, "Hello!" and reminds me that despite having extra digits on each paw, she does not have any known superpowers.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at July 24, 2026 10:39 PM (FZ29D)

67 What about if he ate a bunch of Taco Bell and then got on an elevator with other people? Would they live to reach their floor?

The series would be called the Ass of Steel

Posted by: Anna Puma at July 24, 2026 10:39 PM (2GVsD)

68 We had a pet calf when I was a kid, and ended up eating him. The thing was, after he got big and started butting people, he got sent to my uncle's farm for a while. When the boxes of meat wrapped in white butcher paper came, we didn't really make the connection.

Posted by: nerdygirl at July 24, 2026 10:40 PM (0Htd1)

69 When Superman farts, the Moon gets a new crater.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at July 24, 2026 10:36 PM (1z8ji)

If you have to fart, fart! You will feel much better for it.

Posted by: Mao at July 24, 2026 10:40 PM (4g5V+)

70 Blondie - He'll be okay. Nobody is great every minute...

Posted by: Boomer at July 24, 2026 10:41 PM (9EaCT)

71 62
Ol' Carl beclowned himself with that nuclear winter from the Kuwaiti oil well fires business.

That was really sad.
Posted by: publius

How long did he predict they would burn?
Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at July 24, 2026 10:38 PM (Cqx++)

They didn’t count on me. Fools.

Posted by: Red Adair at July 24, 2026 10:41 PM (4g5V+)

72 Someone did the math on the force his, uh, baby batter, would have based on the increases in raw strength he has over a normal man in relation to other feats of strength

To put it simplify if he and Lois Lane had fun time he'd make her explode.
Posted by: 18-1

Larry Niven. "Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex."

https://tinyurl.com/2bpwhktv

Posted by: mikeski at July 24, 2026 10:41 PM (VHUov)

73 Carl Sagan:

Johnny Carson joked, "Did you hear that Carl Sagan's wife filed for divorce? (affecting Sagan's mannerisms) She wants BILLIONS and BILLIONS of dollars."

Posted by: mnw at July 24, 2026 10:41 PM (RCjYY)

74 Carl Sagan's turtleneck was smarter than him.

Posted by: Anna Puma at July 24, 2026 10:42 PM (2GVsD)

75
>> How long did he predict they would burn?

I don't know about how long, but he predicted it would have an effect similar to the Tambora eruption in 1815, which led to 1816 being the Year Without a Summer.

It was utterly wrong, a nothing-burger.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at July 24, 2026 10:43 PM (w6EFb)

76 Speaking of the man I remember watching a SuperFriends episode as a kid where it turns out the moon is a giant spider monster egg. Superman, Batman and Indian Chief go to fight it and the first two lose and Indian Chief goes giant and wrestles it back into his egg/the moon.

Which made no sense whatsoever.

Even as a tike I was thinking this is beyond stupid.

Posted by: 18-1 at July 24, 2026 10:43 PM (sKqQm)

77 I love you. But if you trust Putin and Xi, you’ve lost your mind and need to resign.
Posted by: nurse ratched. at July 24, 2026 10:33 PM (gTtYa)

What happens in public and what happens in private are totally different things.

By the time we get DoS to publish all the diplomatic correspondence in Foreign Relations of the United States, I will probably be in my 100s. Or dead.

Posted by: Red Adair at July 24, 2026 10:44 PM (4g5V+)

78 PDT

I love you. But if you trust Putin and Xi, you’ve lost your mind and need to resign.
Posted by: nurse ratched. at July 24, 2026 10:33 PM (gTtYa)

This is one way I'd trust them.... (from Babylon 5)

https://youtu.be/sHqgWDyNl9o

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at July 24, 2026 10:44 PM (qx7Zg)

79 Depowering him via kryptonite is a common technique just to make him more human and vulnerable to an actual threat.

I find the stories that depower him less compelling than the stories that fully understand him. Elliot S! Maggin, especially in the two movie novels—they had literally nothing to do with the movies—and Grant Morrison understood this. Their stories are fun and compelling.

Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at July 24, 2026 10:44 PM (kYmoU)

80 Speaking of the man I remember watching a SuperFriends episode as a kid where it turns out the moon is a giant spider monster egg. Superman, Batman and Indian Chief go to fight it and the first two lose and Indian Chief goes giant and wrestles it back into his egg/the moon.

Which made no sense whatsoever.

Even as a tike I was thinking this is beyond stupid.
Posted by: 18-1

"Apache Chief."

Posted by: Wesley Crusher at July 24, 2026 10:44 PM (VHUov)

81 Red Adair, you’re dead. And so is the sock.

Posted by: Cow Demon at July 24, 2026 10:44 PM (4g5V+)

82 A custom-made engine adapter like that goes in in next to no time at all; so much easier than fucking around with the adjustable one.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon

Best friends of my family growing up had a 1950 Champion. It was their "good" car all through the Fifties until they got a 63 Bel Air. The Studebaker was demoted to "work" car status and the Dad drove it down to the docks in Jersey City every workday. It soldiered on until 1973 or so.

Posted by: Did It's Job and More at July 24, 2026 10:44 PM (JM9I6)

83 There's Green Kryptonite, Red Kryptonite, Black Kryptonite, White Kryptonite, Gold Kryptonite, Silver Kryptonite, Platinum Kryptonite, Jewel Kryptonite, Synthetic Kryptonite, Pink Kryptonite, and Blue Kryptonite.

Posted by: Forrest SuperGump at July 24, 2026 10:44 PM (ZypAx)

84 Speaking of the man I remember watching a SuperFriends episode as a kid where it turns out the moon is a giant spider monster egg. Superman, Batman and Indian Chief go to fight it and the first two lose and Indian Chief goes giant and wrestles it back into his egg/the moon.

Which made no sense whatsoever.

Even as a tike I was thinking this is beyond stupid.
Posted by: 18-1 at July 24, 2026 10:43 PM (sKqQm)
---
Makes more sense than the Doctor Who episode where the Moon is an egg. Infested with spiders. The egg hatches into some sort of giant alien, which deposits an egg that becomes the NEW Moon.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at July 24, 2026 10:45 PM (FZ29D)

85 What time is it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zJHMad1ZsM

Posted by: davidt at July 24, 2026 10:45 PM (Q+gd/)

86 Larry Niven. "Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex."
https://tinyurl.com/2bpwhktv
Posted by: mikeski

Wow, what a nerd. And you guys give me a hard time?

Posted by: Wesley Crusher at July 24, 2026 10:46 PM (VHUov)

87 63
Good LordI turned on fox news and trump is absolutely bombing at the white house correspondents' dinner. Who the hell wrote that joke for him?
Posted by: Blonde Morticia's Phone at July 24, 2026 10:38 PM

Oof! It's awful!

Posted by: Moonbeam at July 24, 2026 10:46 PM (Lzhdy)

88 Makes more sense than the Doctor Who episode where the Moon is an egg. Infested with spiders. The egg hatches into some sort of giant alien, which deposits an egg that becomes the NEW Moon.
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel

Spiders? Yeah, that's dumb.

Shoulda been an aphid. They're born pregnant.

Posted by: mikeski at July 24, 2026 10:47 PM (VHUov)

89 I just watched Passengers and The Martian again over the last couple days.
We need good optimistic hard science fiction.

Posted by: gKWVE at July 24, 2026 10:47 PM (gKWVE)

90 Yay, ONT!

Posted by: Blanco Basura - Z28.310 at July 24, 2026 10:47 PM (+9wcF)

91 Mikeski,

Mobile Suit Gudam has created yet another new timeline: AA or After Apocalypse.

Meteor slams into Earth and Humans find a strange material that revolutionizes gravity control, FTL comm, and cognitive materialization.

But after ten years it goes rouge. Humanity has to abandon the Earth and flee to the Moon and space.

And at this point I immediately thought of Hideki Kakinuma and Kenichi Sonoda's Gall Force, especially Rhea Gall Force.

Posted by: Anna Puma at July 24, 2026 10:48 PM (2GVsD)

92 I'm still PO'd at Jeri Ryan and her former husband - the aftermath of that situation gave us OBarky.

Posted by: Tonypete at July 24, 2026 10:18 PM (O6Iwc)

IIRC, the Illinois GOP asked Mike Ditka to be their replacement candidate and he turned them down. Who knows, if he had accepted, and the new senator had become President, the world might have been a very different place.

Posted by: Idaho Spudboy at July 24, 2026 10:48 PM (1viUA)

93 We have not yet considered the existence of a Supergirl. (*She can't mate with Superman because she's his first cousin. And only a cad would suggest differently.*)

That's considered hate speech nowadays in Britain.

Posted by: 18-1 at July 24, 2026 10:49 PM (sKqQm)

94 I have genuinely considered Carl Sagan to be a pompous, self centered prick. And that was back in the day when he was pontificating on his own magnificence. Bye bye Carl...

Posted by: Boomer at July 24, 2026 10:50 PM (9EaCT)

95 Wow, what a nerd. And you guys give me a hard time?

Shut up Wesley

Posted by: Riker at July 24, 2026 10:50 PM (sKqQm)

96 I’m reading a great book about Johnny Csrson right now, penned by his longtime attorney & tennis partner.

Carson lost $35 million to his 3rd ex-wife because he didn’t bother with a pre-nuptial. Against the advice of his attorney. Oops

Posted by: Common Tater at July 24, 2026 10:51 PM (VGE5u)

97 Shoulda been an aphid. They're born pregnant.
Posted by: mikeski at July 24, 2026 10:47 PM (VHUov)

That seems to be a great time saver!

Posted by: Dr. McCoy at July 24, 2026 10:51 PM (1Ff7Z)

98 IIRC Carl Sagan applied his very own hockey stick to the math behind the threshold for a nuclear winter. He artificially lowered the threshold by a factor of 100 I think.

Posted by: Anna Puma at July 24, 2026 10:52 PM (2GVsD)

99 I have genuinely considered Carl Sagan to be a pompous, self centered prick

If you haven’t seen Real Genius yet, I think you’ll enjoy it. Carl Sagan is the villain.

Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at July 24, 2026 10:52 PM (kYmoU)

100 Shoulda been an aphid. They're born pregnant.
Posted by: mikeski at July 24, 2026 10:47 PM (VHUov)

That seems to be a great time saver!
Posted by: Dr. McCoy at July 24, 2026 10:51 PM (1Ff7Z)

Or a mighty War Tribble.

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at July 24, 2026 10:52 PM (qx7Zg)

101 MOAT - Mother of All Tribbles.

Posted by: Anna Puma at July 24, 2026 10:53 PM (2GVsD)

102 People miss the point about Superman. It’s all about how he could be the biggest monster humanity has ever known…

…but isn’t, and in fact uses his powers for good.

In any event, my most beloved superhero will always be Spiderman. Ever since I ran around as a little boy with my Spider-Man sweatshirt…

Posted by: Cow Demon at July 24, 2026 10:53 PM (4g5V+)

103 92

Ditka thought about it for a while before saying no. Some of the GOP leaders told him that he had no idea what misery awaited him if he ran.

Posted by: mnw at July 24, 2026 10:53 PM (RCjYY)

104 Rainbow Kryptonite - explains how Superboy went all LGBTQ++

Posted by: Anna Puma at July 24, 2026 10:54 PM (2GVsD)

105 That bow-tie History Guy once again chimes in on a topic of interest to AoS Morons:

Trebuchet! (17:51)
https://youtu.be/er754qe9soE

Posted by: mindful webworker - siege engine at July 24, 2026 10:55 PM (jrd4M)

106 Gall Force, especially Rhea Gall Force.
Posted by: Anna Puma

Someone should re-release those. I've got a couple on DVD, but buying the rest, nah. They're priced like collector's items.

Posted by: mikeski at July 24, 2026 10:55 PM (VHUov)

107 Mikeski

Got all of them on Japanese and English laserdisc... o.O;;;

Posted by: Anna Puma at July 24, 2026 10:56 PM (2GVsD)

108 People miss the point about Superman. It’s all about how he could be the biggest monster humanity has ever known…

…but isn’t, and in fact uses his powers for good.

Posted by: Cow Demon at July 24, 2026 10:53 PM (4g5V+)
----
We can thank Jonathan and Martha Kent for that. If Superman had been raised by a throuple or polycule in New York City, he would have turned out very differently...

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at July 24, 2026 10:56 PM (FZ29D)

109 While AOP was building a custom engine stand today, I was changing the carrier service on my backup phone. So there!

(Flounces off to get another Bud Light)

Posted by: Idaho Spudboy at July 24, 2026 10:56 PM (1viUA)

110 Fucking . mariners.

Posted by: nurse ratched. at July 24, 2026 10:57 PM (Vrdez)

111 laserdisc
Posted by: Anna Puma

Old school! 👍

Posted by: mikeski at July 24, 2026 10:57 PM (VHUov)

112 That seems to be a great time saver!
Posted by: Dr. McCoy at July 24, 2026 10:51 PM (1Ff7Z)

Kind of takes the fun out of reproduction, though.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at July 24, 2026 10:57 PM (1z8ji)

113 but isn’t, and in fact uses his powers for good.

“Who might offend, and hath not offended? or done evil, and hath not done it? His goods shall be established, and the comic book shall declare his story.”—Ecclesiastes 31

Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at July 24, 2026 10:57 PM (kYmoU)

114 94 I have genuinely considered Carl Sagan to be a pompous, self centered prick. And that was back in the day when he was pontificating on his own magnificence. Bye bye Carl...
Posted by: Boomer at July 24, 2026 10:50 PM (9EaCT)

In his defense, Cosmos was my gateway to science back in the day. It was mind blowing, heady stuff for a nine year old. I have the book to this day. But am I a Sagan fan boy? Far from it. I read Comet in HS and amidst the pages were long sections of him being a whiny little bitch. Yeah, Schlürpo forbid we defend the fucking country so you can study astronomy to your heart’s content, Carl!!!

Posted by: Cow Demon at July 24, 2026 10:58 PM (4g5V+)

115 6 Great ONT!

Except that last meme kinda blows.....

Posted by: mikeski
---

Speaking of that, I thought last night was Friday night ONT and it was the strangest WD ONT I'd ever seen.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 24, 2026 10:58 PM (6T7Go)

116 We can thank Jonathan and Martha Kent for that. If Superman had been raised by a throuple or polycule in New York City, he would have turned out very differently...
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at July 24, 2026 10:56 PM (FZ29D)

Or if he'd been found by Benito Mussolini and Clara Petacci.

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at July 24, 2026 10:59 PM (qx7Zg)

117 Professor Squirrel

You should probably read Superman: True Brit.

as for who to blame for this: Kim "Howard" Johnson, John Cleese, John Byrne, Mark Farmer, and Alex Bleyaert.

They need to be sacked forthwith along with those who chose them.

Posted by: Anna Puma at July 24, 2026 10:59 PM (2GVsD)

118 We can thank Jonathan and Martha Kent for that. If Superman had been raised by a throuple or polycule in New York City, he would have turned out very differently...
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at July 24, 2026 10:56 PM (FZ29D)

Another great point. Raised by a mother and father on a farm in KS, and raised right and proper by them before he moved on to bigger and better things in Metropolis.

Posted by: Cow Demon at July 24, 2026 11:00 PM (4g5V+)

119
Black cherry float with Boylan's soda and HEB 1905 vanilla ice cream. Super excellent.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at July 24, 2026 11:00 PM (O0L8i)

120 I’m reading a great book about Johnny Csrson right now, penned by his longtime attorney & tennis partner.

Carson lost $35 million to his 3rd ex-wife because he didn’t bother with a pre-nuptial. Against the advice of his attorney. Oops
Posted by: Common Tater at July 24, 2026 10:51 PM (VGE5u)

I reviewed that book on a Sunday Book Thread a few weeks ago. Very interesting things. Imagine a lawyer banging Janet from Three's Company and Mary Hart!

Posted by: OrangeEnt at July 24, 2026 11:00 PM (1Ff7Z)

121 I'm still PO'd at Jeri Ryan and her former husband - the aftermath of that situation gave us OBarky.

Posted by: Tonypete at July 24, 2026 10:18 PM (O6Iwc)

IIRC, the Illinois GOP asked Mike Ditka to be their replacement candidate and he turned them down. Who knows, if he had accepted, and the new senator had become President, the world might have been a very different place.
Posted by: Idaho Spudboy at July 24, 2026 10:48 PM (1viUA)

You can blame the Chicago Tribune for suing to release the details of their divorce.

Posted by: Joe Kidd at July 24, 2026 11:00 PM (nbLIj)

122 Evening, Horde. Haven't scheduled a day/time for the interview next week yet, no reply from the company today (I sent followup emails just in case; if I don't hear anything by noon on Monday I'll call). Odd and frustrating.

Posted by: RandomDave (if you can spare a bit, please click) at July 24, 2026 11:02 PM (aJQbY)

123 Or if he'd been found by Benito Mussolini and Clara Petacci.
Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at July 24, 2026 10:59 PM (qx7Zg)

Or landed in Germany, and got adopted by Ernst Rohm...

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at July 24, 2026 11:02 PM (1z8ji)

124
Astros, down 5-0, score 9 unanswered runs.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at July 24, 2026 11:02 PM (O0L8i)

125 Mikeski

at this point, I might have the sole surviving Rabby Struggle Suit Type pre-painted vinyl figure from Gall Force: Star Front.

Posted by: Anna Puma at July 24, 2026 11:03 PM (2GVsD)

126 We can thank Jonathan and Martha Kent for that.

Yes. Maggin addressed this in Last Son of Krypton. Jor-El identified the most intelligent person on earth to raise him, who turned the job over to a moral couple, because that is what would be best for Kal-El and for Earth. (Maggin had a bit of a hard-on for Einstein.)

Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at July 24, 2026 11:03 PM (kYmoU)

127 Random Dave

Keep being persistent.

Posted by: mnw at July 24, 2026 11:03 PM (RCjYY)

128 103 92

Ditka thought about it for a while before saying no. Some of the GOP leaders told him that he had no idea what misery awaited him if he ran.

Posted by: mnw
---

If only he had punched them in the nose. And politely advised them
on points of order.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 24, 2026 11:03 PM (6T7Go)

129 Great ONT!

Except that last meme kinda blows.....

Posted by: mikeski
---

Speaking of that, I thought last night was Friday night ONT and it was the strangest WD ONT I'd ever seen.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 24, 2026 10:58 PM (6T7Go)

I've sent a Friday ONT to Doof if WD needs to skip a week. I think that's the only one that hasn't been used yet.

I admit to working up a Revenge of the Cat ONT. I'm afraid to try a Saturday ONT - Doof and TRex make a formidable team.

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at July 24, 2026 11:04 PM (qx7Zg)

130 chicago white sux again!

Posted by: gKWVE at July 24, 2026 11:04 PM (gKWVE)

131 MOAT - Mother of All Tribbles.
Posted by: Anna Puma

When they get that big, they're just called Trouble.
* thumbs sus'penders *

Posted by: weft cut-loop at July 24, 2026 11:05 PM (diia5)

132 Profundity on the level of Kamala Harris.
Posted by: mindful webworker - small screen for small budgets at July 24, 2026 10:00 PM (jrd4M)

Carl Sagan was something of a pothead

Posted by: Kindltot at July 24, 2026 11:05 PM (rbvCR)

133 Anyway, let's just check on the Colorado Roc-
Oh.

Posted by: gKWVE at July 24, 2026 11:06 PM (gKWVE)

134 That graph from an earlier thread on Republicans gone, Republicans replaced, and Republicans to come is heartening.
And he's right, Trump is setting it up where by even if circumstance gives us a mediocre president MAGA will carry on.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 24, 2026 11:06 PM (6T7Go)

135 Carl Sagan was something of a pothead
Posted by: Kindltot

I think the marxism was a bigger problem.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at July 24, 2026 11:07 PM (diia5)

136 Posted by: RandomDave (if you can spare a bit, please click) at July 24, 2026 11:02 PM (aJQbY)

Hang in there, brother. A door will open..

Posted by: Joe Kidd at July 24, 2026 11:07 PM (nbLIj)

137 Anyway, let's just check on the Colorado Roc-
Oh.
Posted by: gKWVE at July 24, 2026 11:06 PM (gKWVE)

They really need to change their name to the Colorado Weedies. Honor their state's recent history.

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at July 24, 2026 11:07 PM (qx7Zg)

138 Vance has two more years to improve but Mario's learned the playbook. Elipsis nailed it.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 24, 2026 11:08 PM (6T7Go)

139 All of you are missing the point about Carl Sagan.

Like Neil deGrasse Tyson, Carl never thought his farts stunk.

Posted by: Anna Puma at July 24, 2026 11:08 PM (2GVsD)

140 Carl Sagan was something of a pothead
Posted by: Kindltot at July 24, 2026 11:05 PM (rbvCR)

Born on November 9, 1934 (Remember, Remember, the Ninth of November) so his 30s and 40s were spent in the 60s and 70s. It would shock me not at all if more than pot was in play.

(He won the death pool on December 20, 1996)

Posted by: Cow Demon at July 24, 2026 11:09 PM (4g5V+)

141 (He won the death pool on December 20, 1996)
Posted by: Cow Demon at July 24, 2026 11:09 PM (4g5V+)

Dies at 62, very young.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at July 24, 2026 11:11 PM (1z8ji)

142 Like Neil deGrasse Tyson, Carl never thought his farts stunk.
Posted by: Anna Puma at July 24, 2026 11:08 PM (2GVsD)

IMHO Neil deGrasse Tyson is far worse than Sagan in that regard. He must have spent half of the Cosmos “remake” from 2014 talking about how he inherited the torch (so to speak) from Sagan.

Posted by: Cow Demon at July 24, 2026 11:11 PM (4g5V+)

143 How do you know Mobile Suit Gundam is really in a creative rut?

People see a blonde haired attractive guy in a red uniform. Everyone squeaks "Char clone!"

Maybe RG XARX-Zero will finally decide to subvert expectations. But I doubt it since our male MC mobile suit pilot is named Rey.

Posted by: Anna Puma at July 24, 2026 11:13 PM (2GVsD)

144 Ditka thought about it for a while before saying no. Some of the GOP leaders told him that he had no idea what misery awaited him if he ran.
Posted by: mnw at July 24, 2026 10:53 PM (RCjYY)

The mind boggles at what a President Ditka press conference would be like.

Posted by: Cow Demon at July 24, 2026 11:14 PM (4g5V+)

145
I'd be concerned that whatever zealot put the gay PETA sticker on the meat also poisoned the meat.

Posted by: Semi-Literate Thug at July 24, 2026 11:14 PM (biznJ)

146 TSLA after hrs was 311 & SPCX was 113.
_Get some

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 24, 2026 11:15 PM (6T7Go)

147
Sagan at least was an actual scientist and Cornell professor. Tyson is a Hollywood caricature of an astronomer.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at July 24, 2026 11:17 PM (O0L8i)

148 Maybe RG XARX-Zero will finally decide to subvert expectations. But I doubt it since our male MC mobile suit pilot is named Rey.
Posted by: Anna Puma at July 24, 2026 11:13 PM (2GVsD)

Piper probably knows a tailor who could make a Mobile suit, goddamn!

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at July 24, 2026 11:17 PM (1z8ji)

149 *bangs head into pillow*

This series, the MME knock off of the Big Zam is a yellow B-2 with legs.

Posted by: Anna Puma at July 24, 2026 11:17 PM (2GVsD)

150 Tyson is a Hollywood caricature of an astronomer.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh --

Thank you.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 24, 2026 11:17 PM (6T7Go)

151
Oh, I'd take Sagan any day over Neil deAsse. That just shows how far things have fallen.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at July 24, 2026 11:18 PM (w6EFb)

152 Tyson is what you get when you order an astronomer off Temu.

Posted by: Anna Puma at July 24, 2026 11:18 PM (2GVsD)

153 In his defense, Cosmos was my gateway to science back in the day. It was mind blowing, heady stuff for a nine year old. [ . . . ]
Posted by: Cow Demon at July 24, 2026 10:58 PM (4g5V+)

I preferred Connections, but I rewatched it as an adult and realized how . . . Intentional it was. Not an even handed retelling of history, it was slanted.

Posted by: Kindltot at July 24, 2026 11:18 PM (rbvCR)

154 Johnny Carson not having a prenup:

John Cleese called his last series of live comedy performances "The Alimony Tour."

Posted by: mnw at July 24, 2026 11:19 PM (RCjYY)

155 Good evening morons y gracias wd por el ONT

Posted by: San Franpsycho at July 24, 2026 11:19 PM (JvZF+)

156 Tyson is a Hollywood caricature of an astronomer.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh

But just think of the observatory out there missing its tour guide~!!

Posted by: weft cut-loop at July 24, 2026 11:19 PM (diia5)

157 I thought Tyson ran the gift shop.

Posted by: Anna Puma at July 24, 2026 11:20 PM (2GVsD)

158
49 Superman is kind of boring because even his kryptonite isn't kryptonite - it might make him gay or something but he'll always still beat whoever uses it against him.
Posted by: 18-1 at July 24, 2026 10:26 PM (sKqQm)
---
Yeah, he's so overpowered it's really hard to write stories that provide him with a challenge.

Depowering him via kryptonite is a common technique just to make him more human and vulnerable to an actual threat.
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at July 24, 2026 10:31 PM

-------

Maybe he could be disabled by a really horrible smell.

Posted by: Semi-Literate Thug at July 24, 2026 11:20 PM (QOikT)

159
Elon is really pushing the envelope. They pushed Starship through max dynamic pressure at nearly full throttle this time. Don't know exactly how much, if it was 100% throttle, but that greatly increased the stress.

With rockets, basically, the harder you accelerate the more efficient you are in terms of payload thrown into orbit vs fuel consumed. That's the reason for hot staging as well.

However, I don't know if that's something they'd ever want to risk with a manned flight one little bit.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at July 24, 2026 11:21 PM (w6EFb)

160 Kryptonite became the crutch for lazy writers. Much like a transporter malfunction in Star Trek

Posted by: Anna Puma at July 24, 2026 11:21 PM (2GVsD)

161 Bill Gates and senior figures at his foundation met with Jeffrey Epstein roughly 30 times between 2011 and 2014, brushing aside repeated internal warnings about the reputational and ethical risks of associating with a man already convicted of sex crimes involving a minor.
_modernitynews

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 24, 2026 11:22 PM (6T7Go)

162
Yeah, I learned a lot from Sagan as a kid, and I appreciate that from in. It's just his asswipe left-wing politics that pissed me off.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at July 24, 2026 11:22 PM (w6EFb)

163 I bet he's going to like that book so much he'll want to read it again and again.

Posted by: banana Dream at July 24, 2026 11:23 PM (3uBP9)

164 Kryptonite became the crutch for lazy writers. Much like a transporter malfunction in Star Trek
Posted by: Anna Puma at July 24, 2026 11:21 PM (2GVsD)

Other big crutch was Bizarro World.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at July 24, 2026 11:23 PM (1z8ji)

165
Pushing engineering limits to squeeze out just a little extra efficiency here and there is how SpaceX has come to be the dominant force it is.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at July 24, 2026 11:24 PM (w6EFb)

166 Also, thanks to all who have donated. It is very appreciated - every little bit helps!

Posted by: RandomDave (if you can spare a bit, please click) at July 24, 2026 11:25 PM (aJQbY)

167 There is only Lt. Uhura. The others are merely pretenders.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at July 24, 2026 11:25 PM (JvZF+)

168 Yeah Carl Sagan was pretty cool.

I enjoyed Jacques Cousteau far more.

Explorers in their own areas. I prefer the sea to space, personally.

Posted by: nurse ratched. at July 24, 2026 11:26 PM (TpTQ4)

169 Time to meander, ciao.

Posted by: Anna Puma at July 24, 2026 11:27 PM (2GVsD)

170 Tyson is what you get when you order an astronomer off Temu.

Posted by: Anna Puma at July 24, 2026 11:18 PM (2GVsD)

Temu Don King

Posted by: ... at July 24, 2026 11:28 PM (vE0+H)

171 Why would super rich people like Gates hang out with Epstein? Why didn't he just buy himself a string of mistresses, like almost every King of England and France did?

Posted by: mnw at July 24, 2026 11:29 PM (RCjYY)

172 Kryptonite became the crutch for lazy writers. Much like a transporter malfunction in Star Trek
Posted by: Anna Puma at July 24, 2026 11:21 PM (2GVsD)

Other big crutch was Bizarro World.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at July 24, 2026 11:23 PM (1z8ji)
====

Holodeck.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at July 24, 2026 11:30 PM (JvZF+)

173 I enjoyed Jacques Cousteau far more.

Explorers in their own areas. I prefer the sea to space, personally.
Posted by: nurse ratched

Both him and Sagan were exterminationists.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at July 24, 2026 11:30 PM (diia5)

174
Reading, they squeezed another 200 km/h out of velocity at staging, hitting 5960 km/hr (3703 mph). This alone translates to about 6 tons more payload to orbit.

They're going to try to get that up to 6100 km/hr, and that's about the limit for the stresses, apparently.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at July 24, 2026 11:32 PM (w6EFb)

175 There is only Lt. Uhura. The others are merely pretenders.
Posted by: San Franpsycho at July 24, 2026 11:25 PM (JvZF+)

Saw Nichelle Nichols at a Star Trek movie screening in Hollywood back around 2015 or thereabouts. She was in the audience and was introduced to a very appreciative crowd.

Posted by: Joe Kidd at July 24, 2026 11:32 PM (nbLIj)

176 Never turn left.

Posted by: JohnFNotKerry at July 24, 2026 11:32 PM (B2pWp)

177 I don't see the joke here

@LeadingReport
·
2m
President Trump roasts CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, comparing her to “Dylan Mulvaney.”

Posted by: weft cut-loop at July 24, 2026 11:33 PM (diia5)

178 Why would super rich people like Gates hang out with Epstein? Why didn't he just buy himself a string of mistresses, like almost every King of England and France did?
Posted by: mnw at July 24, 2026 11:29 PM (RCjYY)

Because Epstein provided him the illusion that those hot young babes were throwing themselves at him for his scintillating personality and his huge dick, but mostly his huge dick.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at July 24, 2026 11:33 PM (1z8ji)

179 80 Speaking of the man I remember watching a SuperFriends episode as a kid where it turns out the moon is a giant spider monster egg. Superman, Batman and Indian Chief go to fight it and the first two lose and Indian Chief goes giant and wrestles it back into his egg/the moon.

Which made no sense whatsoever.

Even as a tike I was thinking this is beyond stupid.
Posted by: 18-1

"Apache Chief."
Posted by: Wesley Crusher at July 24, 2026 10:44 PM (VHUov)
__________________________

I hope Superman and Batman made the Chief read a land acknowledgement.

Posted by: Orson at July 24, 2026 11:35 PM (dIske)

180 The first thing GOP insiders asked Ditka was, "Mike, are you comfortable with the idea of begging for large campaign contributions... from complete strangers?"

Posted by: mnw at July 24, 2026 11:35 PM (RCjYY)

181
Well, hell. Looks like Elon is going to try man-rating hot staging. It's a ways off, though.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at July 24, 2026 11:36 PM (w6EFb)

182 171 Why would super rich people like Gates hang out with Epstein? Why didn't he just buy himself a string of mistresses, like almost every King of England and France did?

Posted by: mnw
---

He did that too +/-. Parties with his pool full of whores.
Some find depravity irresistible.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 24, 2026 11:37 PM (6T7Go)

183 Why would super rich people like Gates hang out with Epstein? Why didn't he just buy himself a string of mistresses, like almost every King of England and France did?
Posted by: mnw at July 24, 2026 11:29 PM (RCjYY)

Because Epstein was in charge of a large system for unofficial banking and Gates was a source of money. His charitable organization provided seed money and concealment for money laundering between NGOs and funding for off the books operations, and of course just plain money laundering. Gates was not interested in biomedical research as much as he was funding the things around biomedical research and stuff going on using biomedical research as a cover.

Posted by: Kindltot at July 24, 2026 11:39 PM (rbvCR)

184 I enjoyed Jacques Cousteau far more.

Explorers in their own areas. I prefer the sea to space, personally.
Posted by: nurse ratched

The French Narrator in SpongeBob SquarePants was an homage to Jacques Cousteau. Stephen Hillenburg was a fan..

Posted by: Joe Kidd at July 24, 2026 11:39 PM (nbLIj)

185 I don't know what max q means for rockets. For aircraft it's the max aero force on your primary surfaces, wing and empennage. You minimize alpha and beta to reduce forces. But you can't trim out all the alpha, cambered surfaces still want to torsion off, and every little perturbation results in super correction forces to stabilize. The aircraft will tear itself apart.

Rockets are completely different and I vaguely know that a primary load is axial, like column buckling and you have to worry about basic structural stability/equilibrium. It's so different from aircraft structures loads and dynamics I can only guess what the critical design cases are.

Posted by: banana Dream at July 24, 2026 11:40 PM (3uBP9)

186
Well, hell, the Soyuz manned flights use hot staging. So, if the Rooskies can do it.....

And the Titan II version for Gemini did use a sort of hot staging, they called fire in the hole.

So, there you go.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at July 24, 2026 11:40 PM (w6EFb)

187 Looks like Elon is going to try man-rating hot staging.
Posted by: publius

"Things that sound gay but aren't, for $400, Alex."

Posted by: mikeski at July 24, 2026 11:41 PM (VHUov)

188 182

When J.P. Morgan took his own wife to the opera, a reporter joked that "some poor chorus girl won't be getting a diamond bracelet tonight."

Posted by: mnw at July 24, 2026 11:41 PM (RCjYY)

189 Thought the stocks would go up after a successful launch but they didn't. Couldn't get the site to load and missed a buy by one minute and 22 seconds. I think the market will change over the weekend. But my order is in. If I get up or stay up, before hrs will be interesting.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 24, 2026 11:42 PM (6T7Go)

190 I watched the whole mission. Very cool ,but the best part was seeing the descent without the whole blackout portion, where we have to wait for comms to come back on line.

Seeing the craft over the clouds of the Indian Ocean at sunrise, real-time was the coolest fucking thing I've seen in a very long time.

Space X and Elon Musk are taking the bull by the horns, bigly.

Posted by: Pug Mahon, call BR549 at July 24, 2026 11:44 PM (0aYVJ)

191 >> I vaguely know that a primary load is axial

Yep. Point end right in the direction of velocity. Mostly. There are sideways forces, and these are critical to manage.

You know those little side fins on the first stage of the Saturn V? They were there to slow down any sideways turning motion if they lost control of the attitude. They bought just enough time for the escape tower to yank the CM off the top before the forces destroyed the rocket.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at July 24, 2026 11:44 PM (w6EFb)

192 Max Q is maximum resistance point as the ship is accelerating. For some reason slowing down a bit causes less turbulence while accelerating past it.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 24, 2026 11:45 PM (6T7Go)

193 Speaking of that, I thought last night was Friday night ONT and it was the strangest WD ONT I'd ever seen.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 24, 2026 10:58 PM (6T7Go)

But the strangest ONT I ever did see
Was the ONT we cremated Sam McGee

Posted by: Robert Service at July 24, 2026 11:46 PM (1viUA)

194 There was a poster here not long ago complaining that he couldn't get in on buying SpaceX (SPCX) at the IPO offering price.

Now he can.

Posted by: mnw at July 24, 2026 11:49 PM (RCjYY)

195 Kryptonite became the crutch for lazy writers. Much like a transporter malfunction in Star Trek
Posted by: Anna Puma at July 24, 2026 11:21 PM (2GVsD)

Other big crutch was Bizarro World.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at July 24, 2026 11:23 PM (1z8ji)
====

Holodeck.
Posted by: San Franpsycho
------

Replicator
'Macallan, Triple Cask Matured 15 Year Old, a double, one cube'

Posted by: Captain Kirk at July 24, 2026 11:51 PM (XeU6L)

196
The maximum "angle of attack" if you can call it that, the angle of the nose of the rocket relative to its velocity vector during ascent has a very small limit. 5 - 10 degrees.

SpaceX keeps that info for its rockets proprietary. During the entry and landing burns for the boosters, it may be as high 15 degrees. But during fully loaded ascent, it's much smaller than that.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at July 24, 2026 11:51 PM (w6EFb)

197 195

That's called product placement.

Posted by: mnw at July 24, 2026 11:54 PM (RCjYY)

198 how youse mooks doin'

Posted by: Don Black at July 24, 2026 11:55 PM (ZxPkt)

199 The Houthis says that Saudi Arabia launched strikes on Hodeidah after several Saudi vessels were attacked in the Red Sea
---

They hadn't planned on that.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 24, 2026 11:55 PM (6T7Go)

200 >>> Max Q is maximum resistance point as the ship is accelerating. For some reason slowing down a bit causes less turbulence while accelerating past it.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 24, 2026 11:45 PM (6T7Go)

No Max Q is the peak 1/2 rho V^2, the dynamic pressure, that you normalize aerodynamic force to in things line L = CL*Q*S, D = CD*Q*S, CM = CM*Q*S*C. It is one of the ways we linearize general aerodynamic force/moment calculations. Because aero forces vary exponentially with the fluid flow. Linearizing is easier to understand. But in basic aircraft engineering it's simply q goes up forces go up, q goes down forces go down. In testing you use KEAS, Knot Equivalent Air Speed, just to get a common q based relationship between speed and forces for test points. But for rockets it's different. You are dealing with stability, the complexity of eigen values and ODEs and such. A different world.

Posted by: banana Dream at July 24, 2026 11:56 PM (3uBP9)

201 opening a bottle of Yuengling with an M-14

https://tinyurl.com/38chn9yr

Posted by: Kindltot at July 24, 2026 11:56 PM (rbvCR)

202 Hey, where all da white wimmen at?

Posted by: Sheriff Bart at July 24, 2026 11:58 PM (u/oMr)

203 I listened patiently while Miklos read and explained all the ONT content.

I deserve a treat

Posted by: Miss Dixie at July 24, 2026 11:59 PM (sxR7k)

204 >> Very cool ,but the best part was seeing the descent without the whole blackout portion,

This quite amazing. It works because Starship is so big. When it comes down there's a little hole in the plasma trail on the backside. And signals can get through that little hole to Starlinks flying above.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at July 25, 2026 12:00 AM (w6EFb)

205 Depowering him via kryptonite is a common technique just to make him more human and vulnerable to an actual threat.
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at July 24, 2026 10:31 PM
-------
Maybe he could be disabled by a really horrible smell.

Posted by: Semi-Literate Thug
- - - - - -
Superman once tangled with a skunk. Needless to say, it didn't end too well for Superman...

Posted by: As Not Seen On TV at July 25, 2026 12:00 AM (22o5K)

206 Trump on Iran:

They want to make a deal. Sometimes they say they don't want to make a deal, they want to be the tough guys.

There's two ways: we can take them apart piece by piece, or we can negotiate with them, which is what we are also doing right now.

As we speak, we are talking to them
---

One bridge at a time.
Wouldn't Iran really like a Waffle House, a Waffle House right now.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 25, 2026 12:03 AM (6T7Go)

207 Evening all,

We have a launch late tomorrow morning.

SpaceX - Falcon 9 - Starlink 17-51
SLC-4E - Vandenberg SFB - Space Affairs Live
Launch Date: July 25, 2026 PDT
Launch Time: 8:51 a.m. PDT (1551 UTC, 17:51 CEST)

https://youtu.be/Hg9PlxfvN4k

Posted by: Joyenz at July 25, 2026 12:03 AM (2F0/Y)

208 The cute girl makes you a sandwich

https://tinyurl.com/3m8dt2x9

Posted by: Don Black at July 25, 2026 12:04 AM (ZxPkt)

209
The Internet says the max AoA the Saturn V could tolerate during the Max Q range was 1.5 degrees.

Any more than that, and the rocket would be destroyed.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at July 25, 2026 12:05 AM (w6EFb)

210 Walk in silence
Don't walk away, in silence

See the danger, always danger
Endless talking, life rebuilding
Don't walk away

Walk in silence
Don't turn away, in silence

Your confusion, my illusion
Worn like a mask of self-hate, confronts and then dies
Don't walk away

People like you find it easy
Naked to see, walking on air
Hunting by the rivers, through the streets, every corner
Abandoned too soon, set down with due care

Don't walk away, in silence
Don't walk away

Thank you Joy Division

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at July 25, 2026 12:05 AM (CHHv1)

211 opening a bottle of Yuengling with an M-14
------------

I've opened a can of pound cake with a P38.

Posted by: Captain Kirk at July 25, 2026 12:06 AM (XeU6L)

212 National Lampoon once did a sendup of Superman: "What if Superman had been born in Germany?"

Lois Lane: "Oh, Superman! With your Xray vision, can you see through my clothes?"

Nazi Superman: "Yes. And his too. (points to Jimmy) He's Jewish."

Posted by: mnw at July 25, 2026 12:07 AM (RCjYY)

213 >>> The maximum "angle of attack" if you can call it that, the angle of the nose of the rocket relative to its velocity vector during ascent has a very small limit. 5 - 10 degrees.

SpaceX keeps that info for its rockets proprietary. During the entry and landing burns for the boosters, it may be as high 15 degrees. But during fully loaded ascent, it's much smaller than that.
Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at July 24, 2026 11:51 PM (w6EFb)

Even for highspeed aircraft max alpha is tiny, a few degrees and giving you huge load factors, 3, 4, 5, gs. Doesn't take much at decent Mach. In aircraft alpha = load factor. That's another thing I don't know about rockets. Does alpha=load factor for them?

Posted by: banana Dream at July 25, 2026 12:07 AM (3uBP9)

214 Regardless of how much of a lazy wastrel you believe pot turns people into, Sagan wasn't one of those.

Posted by: Dark Lixtiquatal at July 25, 2026 12:08 AM (DZ9Lv)

215 Finished watching Masters of the Universe. Great fun, the film makers clearly loved the oroginal cartoons.

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at July 25, 2026 12:09 AM (0TVIV)

216 @sentdefender
5h
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has confirmed that U.S. forces have disabled a second vessel attempting to violate the naval blockade of Iran.

According to CENTCOM, the motor tanker 'Lavine' made multiple attempts to breach the blockade. After warnings went unheeded, U.S. forces struck the vessel's engine room, rendering it inoperable
---

If it wasn't a decoy that's another 3 million gallons of crude in our coffers.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 25, 2026 12:13 AM (6T7Go)

217 173 I enjoyed Jacques Cousteau far more.

Explorers in their own areas. I prefer the sea to space, personally.
Posted by: nurse ratched

Both him and Sagan were exterminationists.
Posted by: weft cut-loop

They were Daleks?

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at July 25, 2026 12:14 AM (m5P/4)

218 opening a bottle of Yuengling with an M-14

https://tinyurl.com/38chn9yr
Posted by: Kindltot at July 24, 2026 11:56 PM (rbvCR)

The Israeli Galil rifle had a built-in bottle opener. Why, you ask? Because the troops were using their rifle magazines to open bottles and it wrecked the magazine lips.

A major reason the flashhider on the M16 was changed from the original open prong type to the closed birdcage type was due to the troops using the barrel as a pry bar to snap metal bands off packing crates.

Posted by: Idaho Spudboy at July 25, 2026 12:16 AM (1viUA)

219 Regardless of how much of a lazy wastrel you believe pot turns people into, Sagan wasn't one of those.
Posted by: Dark Lixtiquatal at July 25, 2026 12:08 AM (DZ9Lv)

Never said it made him a wastrel, but he did tend to ramble and find woo in odd ideas.

Posted by: Kindltot at July 25, 2026 12:18 AM (rbvCR)

220 Sean (Diddy) Combs has been placed in solitary confinement at FCI-Fort Dix for fighting.

FOX News refers to that as a "minimum security prison."

It isn't.

Posted by: mnw at July 25, 2026 12:20 AM (RCjYY)

221 It has been also claimed that Sagan's publication history in his field was oddly small. The implication was that he was a "Hollywood Indian"

Posted by: Kindltot at July 25, 2026 12:21 AM (rbvCR)

222 @sentdefender - Jul 22
For the first time, the U.S. Army has deployed the *'Dark Eagle' Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon to Guam during Exercise Valiant Shield 2026.

From Guam, much of China's eastern seaboard, including key military targets, fall within the missile's reported range,

*
Search Assist
The Dark Eagle, officially known as the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW), is a U.S. Army missile designed to strike targets over 2,175 miles away at speeds exceeding Mach 5. It utilizes a boost-glide system, allowing it to maneuver unpredictably, making it difficult for current missile defenses to intercept.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 25, 2026 12:21 AM (6T7Go)

223
How to get something into orbit is a fascinating thing. Consider LEO. We'll call that 100 - 200 mile altitude, and just keep things simple with a circular orbit. The radius of the Erf is about 4000 miles. Orbital altitude is only 2.5 - 5% of that. Scale that down to a basketball. You're just barely above the surface.

Nearly all of the velocity you need for orbit is thus tangential or horizontal. You just want to get a smidge higher than surface, and have no radial velocity when you get there.

So, you need to thrust sideways mostly. But, you've got to fight gravity, and the more you have to fight it the slower your horizontal speed is. When you're at orbital velocity, you free fall -- the earth just curves away underneath as fast as you fall. That's orbit.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at July 25, 2026 12:21 AM (w6EFb)

224 FOX News refers to that as a "minimum security prison."

It isn't.
Posted by: mnw at July 25, 2026 12:20 AM (RCjYY)

Well, unless he's being held in a cell 30 feet underground, being subjected to Yoko Ono's singing 24/7, it's not really "maximum security", either, is it?

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at July 25, 2026 12:26 AM (1z8ji)

225
At first blush, just forget about the earth's atmosphere. That makes things too complicated. Imagine getting into orbit off an earth size/mass planet with no atmosphere (the Moon is like this, really, but much less gravity).

The ideal, most efficient trajectory is called a gravity turn. You thrust continuously in the direction of your velocity, and let gravity "turn you" over sideways as you accelerate.

Depending on your thrust to mass and payload ratios and all that, in vacuum, you'd start off pitched over pretty steep. Basically, clear the tower and then lean over pretty far sideways and go. Time it all right, and you reach you orbital height with zero radial velocity in a perfect circular orbit.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at July 25, 2026 12:28 AM (w6EFb)

226 Wouldn't Iran really like a Waffle House, a Waffle House right now.
Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 25, 2026 12:03 AM (6T7Go)

What part of NO SHARING do you not get?

Now SHUT UP and enjoy your butter with grits.

Posted by: Waffle House at July 25, 2026 12:28 AM (4g5V+)

227 If it wasn't a decoy that's another 3 million gallons of crude in our coffers.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 25, 2026 12:13 AM (6T7Go)

Small piece of good news I caught yesterday. Trump is using Iranian funds we have frozen to reimburse for the ships they've hit.

Posted by: Bilwis - Wizard of Clwyd at July 25, 2026 12:29 AM (w/O5Q)

228 good night folks, thank you for being the best people on the planet

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at July 25, 2026 12:30 AM (CHHv1)

229 221 It has been also claimed that Sagan's publication history in his field was oddly small. The implication was that he was a "Hollywood Indian"
Posted by: Kindltot at July 25, 2026 12:21 AM (rbvCR)

I don’t think his other work hurt, though. Probably pissed off his peers to no end.

A similar thing happens in other fields. If you are a history professor who publishes the occasional dense article that might be read by the denizens of JSTOR world BUT also publishes books that the general public eats up, and sells like hot cakes, your more academically inclined peers who only publish to each other so as to keep your job and have no time to publish anything for the hoi polloi will do nothing but sneer.

Posted by: Cow Demon at July 25, 2026 12:33 AM (4g5V+)

230 When I went up stairs to make supper a while ago, I looked out the window, and there was big bunny rabbit out grazing in the yard. I think, technically, it's what is called a "Varying hare". Brown-gray in Summer, with a white tail, becomes entirely white in Winter.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at July 25, 2026 12:33 AM (1z8ji)

231 Some of you folks need to read them, so I'm going to leave these tracts over here on the end table. Feel free.

Posted by: Jack Chick at July 25, 2026 12:36 AM (JM9I6)

232
Now, the fighting gravity part before you get to orbital speed and can thus free fall. Consider the worst case. Your thrust is just equal to your weight. Your "proper acceleration" is just 1g. You just sit there hovering, and go nowhere, wasting all your fuel just to hold up your own weight. Not too good. That's 100% gravity loss.

So, obviously we need more thrust than than our weight. A good bit more in fact. We need to just get enough vertical speed to get as high we want when we reach orbital velocity, and waste no more fighting gravity than we have to.

So, for that vacuum launch, we pitch over just so that the vertical component of our thrust just equals gravity. We don't fall, and the all the rest is used to pour on horizontal velocity. (we will need to get a little vertical velocity of course, but not much).

The faster our horizontal speed gets, there's what you can see as a "centrifugal" term, the difference between orbital speed and our current horizontal speed. As that difference gets less, we need less and less vertical component of thrust.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at July 25, 2026 12:39 AM (w6EFb)

233 230 When I went up stairs to make supper a while ago, I looked out the window, and there was big bunny rabbit out grazing in the yard. I think, technically, it's what is called a "Varying hare". Brown-gray in Summer, with a white tail, becomes entirely white in Winter.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at July 25, 2026 12:33 AM (1z8ji)

He didn't say his name was Harvey, by any chance?

Posted by: Anonymous Rogue in Kalifornistan (ARiK's Phone) at July 25, 2026 12:40 AM (QGaXH)

234 there was big bunny rabbit out grazing in the yard.
-----

The house is two-story brick. I have Virginia Creeper on the back wall. This afternoon I noticed that close to the window sill outside of the bathroom (upper floor), there is what looks like a nest. This evening there was a squirrel looking in at the window. I've named it 'Earl'.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at July 25, 2026 12:40 AM (XeU6L)

235
So, as we get faster and faster, we can pitch over more and more, wasting less and less thrust fighting gravity.

The ideal gravity turn does that automatically. We start out with an initial pitch over, and just thrust directly along our rocket's axis, always tangent to our velocity vector. Gravity automatically turns us over as we get faster and faster.

That's the ideal, simple case of launching in a vacuum. The atmosphere complicates things greatly....

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at July 25, 2026 12:42 AM (w6EFb)

236 Haven't taken the molding off the F-150 for a look see but
during a couple of rain storms I covered the molding from 5" north of the top of the windshield to the bottom on the drivers side. (starting at the bottom). Much dryer inside the cab and electrical equipment/switches behavior in order.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 25, 2026 12:45 AM (6T7Go)

237 So, for that vacuum launch, we pitch over just so that the vertical component of our thrust just equals gravity. We don't fall, and the all the rest is used to pour on horizontal velocity. (we will need to get a little vertical velocity of course, but not much).

The faster our horizontal speed gets, there's what you can see as a "centrifugal" term, the difference between orbital speed and our current horizontal speed. As that difference gets less, we need less and less vertical component of thrust.
Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at July 25, 2026 12:39 AM (w6EFb)

IIRC, a lot of the fuel in the first stage is consumed in just lifting the entire rocket off the ground. They move pretty slowly at first, while burning fuel like a mo-fo. I thought there were proposals to launch orbital rockets that were piggy-backed to very high altitude, and to Mach ++ speeds on the backs of specially-designed air-breathing airplanes. Use jet fuel and aerodynamic lift to get the rocket out of the densest part of the atmosphere, and build some velocity, too. First stage could be smaller, because boost plane is doing half its work.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at July 25, 2026 12:46 AM (1z8ji)

238 235....That's the ideal, simple case of launching in a vacuum. The atmosphere complicates things greatly....
Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at July 25, 2026 12:42 AM (w6EFb)

Younger son is in Corpus C area for work. He sent video of starship launch. Very cool!

I saw quite a few Titan IVs and Delta IIs up close and personal back when.

Posted by: Anonymous Rogue in Kalifornistan (ARiK's Phone) at July 25, 2026 12:47 AM (QGaXH)

239 That's the ideal, simple case of launching in a vacuum. The atmosphere complicates things greatly....
Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at July 25, 2026 12:42 AM (w6EFb)

----------

May I introduce you to my perfectly spherical chickens in a vacuum?

Posted by: A Physicist at July 25, 2026 12:47 AM (u/oMr)

240 I thought there were proposals to launch orbital rockets that were piggy-backed to very high altitude, and to Mach ++ speeds on the backs of specially-designed air-breathing airplanes. Use jet fuel and aerodynamic lift to get the rocket out of the densest part of the atmosphere, and build some velocity, too. First stage could be smaller, because boost plane is doing half its work.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon

I would think the hard part there would be getting the plane safely away from the rocket before it had to light itself up.

Posted by: mikeski at July 25, 2026 12:49 AM (VHUov)

241
230 When I went up stairs to make supper a while ago, I looked out the window, and there was big bunny rabbit out grazing in the yard. I think, technically, it's what is called a "Varying hare". Brown-gray in Summer, with a white tail, becomes entirely white in Winter.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at July 25, 2026 12:33 AM (1z8ji)

My grandson would say “Big Chungus!”

Posted by: Tom Servo at July 25, 2026 12:51 AM (wxb/S)

242 I would think the hard part there would be getting the plane safely away from the rocket before it had to light itself up.
Posted by: mikeski at July 25, 2026 12:49 AM (VHUov)

Reminds me of how the X-15 was launched from a B-52

Posted by: Tom Servo at July 25, 2026 12:52 AM (wxb/S)

243 34 Superman is kind of boring because even his kryptonite isn't kryptonite - it might make him gay or something but he'll always still beat whoever uses it against him.
Posted by: 18-1 at July 24, 2026 10:26 PM (sKqQm)

"Aaaaaagh!!"

{Superman cringes in the blinding rainbow glow from the crystal shard}

"Oh my God, I can't believe I wear *this* in public!"

{every paper scatters from the wind, and Superman is suddenly wearing an untucked button-down with skinny pants, boat shoes without socks, a feather boa and oversize sunglasses}

"Congo rats bad boy, you cost me 500 milliseconds. Now you face the power of this properly attired Fabulousman!"

{another sudden wind, and the Villain Of The Week is bound and gagged in red silk rope Kinbaku}

"Until next time, losers! Ta ta!"

{another sudden wind, and Super/Fabulousman is gone}

Posted by: SciVo at July 25, 2026 12:55 AM (Sy6m/)

244
With atmosphere, all the above applies, but we've got another loss term to worry about. Drag. That's another opposite force our thrust has to counter, and is thus is more waste, meaning our thrust gives us less horizontal velocity gain.

And that's proportional to how thick the atmosphere is, which decreases with height.

So the most efficient trajectory modifies that vacuum gravity turn a bit. We want to go up much steeper to get into thinner air before we turn over and start pouring on the horizontal speed. And once we get too fast, we don't won't to be having to thrust too much sideways. We want to still be able to thrust pretty much along our own axis, which is pointing tangent to our velocity.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at July 25, 2026 12:55 AM (w6EFb)

245 Big ass plane to carry Starship up there.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 25, 2026 12:55 AM (6T7Go)

246 @visegrad24
18m
A 15-year-old Alkira Secondary College student has undergone emergency surgery after being stabbed and slashed in the neck, back, arms and hands by Middle Eastern thugs who attacked him with machetes at Sabel Reserve Playground in Melbourne, Australia

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 25, 2026 12:57 AM (6T7Go)

247 A 226-year-old pub in Blackburn, England, is set to become a mosque after Labour-run Blackburn with Darwen Council approved plans to convert the historic Hare and Hounds, which first opened in 1799.

The pub, which served its final pint last year, had failed to turn a profit despite attempts to revive it, including permission to open a café. Planning documents said its decline was linked to demographic changes in the area over the past 25 years.
==

Demographics

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 25, 2026 12:58 AM (6T7Go)

248 Never said it made him a wastrel, but he did tend to ramble and find woo in odd ideas.
Posted by: Kindltot

Billions and billions of odd ideas.
There's a generation of folks out there who have very positive thoughts about Carl Sagan. There are folks out there who have positive thoughts about Che' Guevara. I'm going with the former (being one of them).

Posted by: Dark Lixtiquatal at July 25, 2026 12:59 AM (DZ9Lv)

249
See the Northrop Grumman Pegasus rocket. Small payload capacity carried aloft by an airplane. The SWIFT boost mission just recently used that.

It turns out this just isn't very efficient for large payloads at all. The carrier airplane is weight limited, and doesn't give you much horizontal velocity advantage.

Now, some sort of specialized air breathing, winged first-stage you might call it, would be different, but I don't think anyone is going in that direction. Which must mean that regular rockets are just more efficient all factors considered.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at July 25, 2026 01:01 AM (w6EFb)

250 247 A 226-year-old pub in Blackburn, England, is set to become a mosque after Labour-run Blackburn with Darwen Council approved plans to convert the historic Hare and Hounds, which first opened in 1799.

The pub, which served its final pint last year, had failed to turn a profit despite attempts to revive it, including permission to open a café. Planning documents said its decline was linked to demographic changes in the area over the past 25 years.
==

Demographics
Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 25, 2026 12:58 AM (6T7Go)

A pub.

Vote Restore.

Posted by: Cow Demon at July 25, 2026 01:01 AM (4g5V+)

251 Apache Chief was one of the best Harvey Birdman eps ever!
He was suing a local coffee shop because they hey had accidentally spilled hot coffee in his lap and because of that “he could no longer Grow Large.” He testified that it was quite humiliating.

Posted by: Tom Servo at July 25, 2026 01:03 AM (wxb/S)

252 Big ass plane to carry Starship up there.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 25, 2026 12:55 AM (6T7Go)

It would be a very big-ass plane indeed. But it would be reusable for many, many launches. I would give it enough big jet engines to get airborne, and ascend to maybe 50,000 feet on jet fuel, and maybe Mach 0.6. Once there, pilot hauls back on the yoke, and fires two big rocket motors hung on the wings between the jet pods. They burn long enough to jump from 50,000 feet to 100,000 feet, and to get to say Mach 1.5. When the rockets burn out, the piggy-back spacecraft is turned loose, and Stage One fires, as the boost plane dives away.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at July 25, 2026 01:03 AM (1z8ji)

253 "We can put the mihrab right there where the dartboard used to be."

Posted by: The al-Hare and al-Hound Sacred Mosque of Islam at July 25, 2026 01:05 AM (u/oMr)

254 That Marcus Aurelius sure knew his shit.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at July 25, 2026 01:09 AM (u/oMr)

255 Hello, Horde! 😊💕

Posted by: Teresa in Fort Worth, AoSHQ's Plucky Wee One - Eat the Cheesecake, Buy the Yarn. at July 25, 2026 01:09 AM (SRRAx)

256 Starship is in the water in the Indian Ocean.

It has been floating around for at least 10 minutes now. @SpaceX is about to get their hands on very interesting data that they never had before. The heat shield looks great too

6 seconds
https://tinyurl.com/4e97rw3k

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 25, 2026 01:17 AM (6T7Go)

257 Ugh. Youtube just threw an ad at me for someone called LCR Partners which specializes in guaranteeing H1-B applications get approved.

Posted by: Methos, inauthentic X-bot account at July 25, 2026 01:19 AM (vSvIl)

258 SpaceX Starship Heat Shield Comparison Between Flights 10-13.

It’s getting better every time. This is what progress looks like

https://tinyurl.com/yejdm937

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 25, 2026 01:22 AM (6T7Go)

259 Elon Musk
@elonmusk
19m
Replying to @DJSnM
Unless we discover problems after mission data review, SpaceX will attempt to catch the ship with the tower on next flight

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 25, 2026 01:24 AM (6T7Go)

260 >> SpaceX will attempt to catch the ship with the tower on next flight

Oh wow. Some of the NSF mee-thane boys were speculating about that.

And that means the next one will be orbital, or just about, looping back around to land back in Texas.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at July 25, 2026 01:26 AM (w6EFb)

261 Happy Friday Horde!

Posted by: Debby Doberman Schultz at July 25, 2026 01:31 AM (ibDUx)

262 SpaceX's Starship rocket just performed a flip maneuver and precisely splashed down on target in the Indian Ocean next to a few buoys with @Starlink on them. The softest splashdown we've seen yet
---

Splash down and 20 floating on the water.
https://tinyurl.com/2t6n3w5z
---

Looks like Bezos not only has a float problem but a size problem too.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 25, 2026 01:31 AM (6T7Go)

263 If you watched this is old news but for those who haven't seen it; Wow.

@elonmusk
5h
Starship is intact, floating in the ocean and transmitting telemetry

https://tinyurl.com/445tv47w

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 25, 2026 01:35 AM (6T7Go)

264 I have an orange gibbous Moon glimming dimly in the southern sky. About the color of a tangerine, because of smoke in the air.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at July 25, 2026 01:46 AM (1z8ji)

265 Bright orange moon here too, AOP. Pretty.

Posted by: JQ at July 25, 2026 01:57 AM (rdVOm)

266 Another night watching a low-budget movie nobody ever heard of. Kind-of amusing. But time I won't get back. Oh, well. Price of admission was right.

https://youtu.be/M7u5SdjDSQQ

G'nite, y'all.💤

Posted by: mindful webworker - what a night for a nightmare at July 25, 2026 01:57 AM (jrd4M)

267 Until tomorrow,
Happy trails to you,
Until we meet again.
Some trails are happy ones,
Others are blue.
It's the way you ride the trail that counts,
Here's a happy one for you.

'night

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at July 25, 2026 01:59 AM (6T7Go)

268
Moon is about 83% illuminated now. Too low to see here anyway, and it's been quite cloudy.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at July 25, 2026 02:04 AM (w6EFb)

269 Past midnight here, too, and I am off to the snoozer. Night, Horde.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at July 25, 2026 02:06 AM (1z8ji)

270 Hi, publius! Yeah, about 3 hours behind ya here...

Sunset was blazing red-orange today & yesterday. Hazy during the day, due to smoke. Thankfully, it's high enough in the atmosphere (mostly) that I can't smell it. Sometimes, not so much.

Meh. It's *that time of year* and fire season is upon us in the West.

Posted by: JQ at July 25, 2026 02:09 AM (rdVOm)

271 'Night, AOP and Braenyard!

Posted by: JQ at July 25, 2026 02:10 AM (rdVOm)

272 A panda walks into a café, orders a salad, eats it, then pulls out a gun and fires two shots in the air. When the confused waiter yells at him and asks what he's doing, the panda tosses him a cheap wildlife manual, tells him to look it up, and walks out the door. The waiter flips to the entry bearing his likeness and reads, "Panda. Large black-and-white bear-like mammal, native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves."

I got my mom the book for her birthday one year and she loved it, which probably tells you something about both of us:

Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation
www.amazon.com/dp/1592402038

All that to say, the policeman is like a panda with an Oxford comma: climbs, shoots, and leaves.

Posted by: SciVo at July 25, 2026 02:16 AM (Sy6m/)

273 Night Braenyard, night AOP.

Hi JQ, don't know how late I'll stay up but make it a double. How is your heat?

Posted by: Debby Doberman Schultz at July 25, 2026 02:18 AM (ibDUx)

274 *double Chivas for Debby*

Hi!

Only 101* today.. ugh. Same tomorrow, probably. Would be worse if not for the smoke blocking the blazing sun! So-- grateful for it despite the forest destruction.

How are you?

Posted by: JQ at July 25, 2026 02:21 AM (rdVOm)

275
The clouds and rain cooled us off well. Nice break from the heat. High was just 75F.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at July 25, 2026 02:22 AM (w6EFb)

276 High was just 75F.
Posted by: publius

Niiiiice! We got a sprinkle yesterday (at 104F) that simply turned outdoors into a giant steambath. Bleh!

Posted by: JQ at July 25, 2026 02:24 AM (rdVOm)

277 Defense dept. Lowers death toll from Iran war from 18 down to 14 on Trump's orders because the 4 latest services deaths occurred after Trump declared victory after the cease fire.

Posted by: exodus 21:22-25 at July 25, 2026 02:28 AM (i1ddm)

278 I'm just looking at the forecast change and differ between sources for this morning. High will be about 85. We could get 1" of rain, or not hardly any, depending on which forecast. And it's changing all around as I watch....

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at July 25, 2026 02:29 AM (w6EFb)

279 Mid- to late August, we get a good drenching, cooling rain. Can hardly wait!

Meanwhile, just keep the yard watered enough to stay green... ish... and mow the weeds when it starts to look ratty. LOL

Posted by: JQ at July 25, 2026 02:30 AM (rdVOm)

280 I never really liked superman. Obviously I read the comic books, but it was too outlandish.

As a comic book product, I liked batman better because he was a gadget guy.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at July 25, 2026 02:40 AM (SwCxT)

281 Yeah, Batman was much more *believable*

Bro and I liked the tv show-- extra special because it wasn't aired in our area, but we could watch it at grandparents' house!

Posted by: JQ at July 25, 2026 02:45 AM (rdVOm)

282 Lurkers are dependent on you commenters for our lurk consumption needs. Last night was pretty good. Tonight less full. Comment harder!

Think of how many lurk without ever contributing. Could it be a great many? Tis fearful to expose oneself in this august company.

Infact, fellow lurkers of late night, sing out just for tonight. Anyone? Anyone?

Posted by: Late-Night Lurker at July 25, 2026 02:45 AM (FHM91)

283 Just get home from a friend's house in Salem. Played Agricola, Clank, and No Thanks. I won the Ag game with a 50-something score, using Trailblazer, Boatswain, and Crop Rotator. Some minor synergy with Shepherd's Pipe and Hammock. Other players added crazy amounts of wood to the game with Woodcutter and Master Forester.

Posted by: frammish at July 25, 2026 02:50 AM (rcENI)

284 Round 7 family grow. Two other players had an early fight over Starting Player, so I was always 2nd or 3rd without trying. Then I wound up with first grow, because they had already started too many times. Fed with Clay Oven and later Bakehouse. Animals were all pretty late: round 3 sheep, late pigs, late cow. Everything sort of went my way.

We play EIKWmFrZ. Someone had Village Beauty from the Z deck with Clay Roof and did a double-build then double-no-action-grow, which was pretty cool.

It took me a while to get my fourth room, but then I quickly got the Hammock and both grows. So I think I was first to 3, last to 4, and first to 5.

Posted by: frammish at July 25, 2026 02:55 AM (rcENI)

285 Oh look. A Socialist who sees the State as God with Bible quotes for a nic. Too chicken to post anything but late night drive by posts.

Posted by: Cow Demon at July 25, 2026 02:55 AM (4g5V+)

286 I don't think I took a single Round 13-15 action space. Got 5 fields, 4 pastures, 2 fenced stables, all the animals, lots of veg & grain, stone house, basketmaker's.

Posted by: frammish at July 25, 2026 02:58 AM (rcENI)

287 285: Most trolls do that. Except Paul and Sid, who are 'special'. Probably the same bot.

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at July 25, 2026 02:59 AM (m5P/4)

288 Posted by: frammish

I have no idea what either of your posts meant, but sounds like fun!

*this old fuddy-duddy walks away...*

Posted by: JQ at July 25, 2026 03:01 AM (rdVOm)

289 JQ, I am good thanks, wandered up thread a bit, thanks for my Chivas.

Hey Teresa, if you are still around, do you have any fun trips planned for the rest of the summer?

SciVo, I bookmarked that book, it will make a nice Christmas gift. Thank you.

Late Night Lurker, this place is my night school, I learn about space, auto repair, music and movies, I seldom have any weighty insight into many of these topics but still I persist.

Posted by: Debby Doberman Schultz at July 25, 2026 03:08 AM (ibDUx)

290 Hi JQ! It's a board game about farming in the middle ages. My favorite. But it's complicated and sort of anxiety-producing. You have all these cards with tons of cool things you can do, but your family is constantly on the verge of starvation, and you never get to do everything you want.

Posted by: frammish at July 25, 2026 03:08 AM (rcENI)

291 framish, I know nothing about gaming, I used to play with the kid's Gameboys when they went to sleep.

Posted by: Debby Doberman Schultz at July 25, 2026 03:13 AM (ibDUx)

292 >> ...it's complicated and sort of anxiety-producing. You have all these cards with tons of cool things you can do, but your family is constantly on the verge of starvation, and you never get to do everything you want.
Posted by: frammish

Sounds realistic enough that I'd enjoy playing! LOL.

Posted by: JQ at July 25, 2026 03:13 AM (rdVOm)

293 I'm hanging out downstairs with the glass sliding door open, hoping one of the cats will come in for the night. I've tried calling a few times. Actually she'll be fine, but my wife is a little worried about her. And it makes for a good excuse to stay up late. It's hard to go straight to bed after a long drive.

Posted by: frammish at July 25, 2026 03:14 AM (rcENI)

294 I'm not a computer-gamer, but my family was big on board games, card- and dice games.

Back in the days when we'd all get together...

Posted by: JQ at July 25, 2026 03:17 AM (rdVOm)

295 >>It's hard to go straight to bed after a long drive.
Posted by: frammish

Yep. Got to decompress!

Posted by: JQ at July 25, 2026 03:19 AM (rdVOm)

296 If either of you live anywhere near Portland, I could host a game night sometime. This game is not everyone's cup of tea, but I love it. And the theme is so good, that the rules, IMO, despite being complicated, immediately feel natural and easy to remember---way better than most modern games.

Posted by: frammish at July 25, 2026 03:21 AM (rcENI)

297 Nice of you to offer, frammish, but too long for me to drive. Thanks very much anyway!

Posted by: JQ at July 25, 2026 03:25 AM (rdVOm)

298 I'm snacking on my capicola. YouTube has been showing me videos of prosciutto and other slow cures, but made in a vacuum bag and kept in the freezer. Normally you have to hang them, and it helps to have a closet with some fans. Too risky, too complicated! The only hanging I've attempted was pancetta, which only took two weeks and is pretty forgiving. (I sent photos to the Food Thread the other day!) But it turns out my wife wants a vacuum sealer too. . . .

Posted by: frammish at July 25, 2026 03:26 AM (rcENI)

299 Sorry not freezer, refrigerator.

Posted by: frammish at July 25, 2026 03:27 AM (rcENI)

300 Vacuum sealer is a great tool! Useful for just about anything you'd care to portion & freeze. Good investment and not expensive.

Costco should have them for excellent price. Get more rolls of bag material than you think you'll need!

Posted by: JQ at July 25, 2026 03:32 AM (rdVOm)

301 I'm sure we would use it. We buy a half-cow every year or so, and the cuts don't come wrapped super well. Costco seems like a good idea!

Posted by: frammish at July 25, 2026 03:41 AM (rcENI)

302 We still have two frozen beef hearts. I made a third just a couple weeks ago. I have to cook that kind of thing when my wife is out of town. I hear it is good stewed, but I cut it into steaks and got three good meals out of it. I thought it was delicious!

Posted by: frammish at July 25, 2026 03:43 AM (rcENI)

303 I heard recently that you should ask for the cow cheek: that it is amazing and butchers usually keep it for themselves. I will mention that in our instructions next time.

I noticed a couple years ago that we never got a brisket. I assume they were turning it into ground beef. But I like to smoke things, so I've started asking for that. It is about half the weight of a Costco brisket. That is quite a difference!

Posted by: frammish at July 25, 2026 03:46 AM (rcENI)

304 Frammish, if you want to freeze veggies-- also recommend a blanching pot, if you don't already own one.

Blanching kills enzymes so that produce keeps longer in freezer. Makes a big difference.

Posted by: JQ at July 25, 2026 03:48 AM (rdVOm)

305 My favorite board game is "Awful Green Things From Outer Space"

Posted by: Dark Lix. at July 25, 2026 03:51 AM (DZ9Lv)

306 I should vacuum seal some of the good local corn that grows up here in August and save it for Thanksgiving. I can never get fresh corn at that time of year.

frammish, nice offer on the game night, I live way too far away, like JQ said, thank you.

I am going to wish you all sweet dreams, I am headed to bed.

Posted by: Debby Doberman Schultz at July 25, 2026 03:51 AM (ibDUx)

307 'Night, Debby.

Blanch that corn before freezing!

Posted by: JQ at July 25, 2026 03:53 AM (rdVOm)

308 We have a garden, but we never get so many veggies we need to freeze them.

We got 12 gallons of plums off the plum tree last year. Mostly we did plain canning, but we made some jam and some "Russian plums" (which I didn't love).

We have a bunch of pepper starts I want to do something with. Jalapenos are so cheap that I think it makes more sense just to can them from the grocery store.

My 11yo got really excited about canning asparagus last year. We did a few jars. I bet that still has a good price? I should buy a load of that and can it with her.

Posted by: frammish at July 25, 2026 03:56 AM (rcENI)

309 Good night you all! I am ready to give up on this cat and get to bed myself.

Posted by: frammish at July 25, 2026 03:57 AM (rcENI)

310 Frammish-- asparagus is way spendy this time of year. Season usually starts ~February or March, for cheapest & best product.

Now is time for corn, okra, plums, peppers, grapes, maybe late cherries..

Have fun!

Posted by: JQ at July 25, 2026 04:01 AM (rdVOm)

311 I should do a batch of dilly beans soon. Just about time for that.

Posted by: JQ at July 25, 2026 04:04 AM (rdVOm)

312 "A 226-year-old pub in Blackburn, England, is set to become a mosque"

Better to just burn it down...

Posted by: Drink Like Vikings at July 25, 2026 04:06 AM (bEpKP)

313 >>Better to just burn it down...

*types*
*deletes*

Yeah, an ounce of prevention is probably better than what I had in mind...

Posted by: JQ at July 25, 2026 04:23 AM (rdVOm)

314 Good night, horde. Sleepy time here.

Posted by: JQ at July 25, 2026 04:24 AM (rdVOm)

315 I just got a spam email from some Democratic candidate in Iowa, begging me to donate to her campaign, so she can help "flip the House" to the Democrats.

I have no idea how I got on these people's campaign list, as I have never donated to anybody, am not registered with any political party, and have zero internet footprint regarding politics.

The email was the usual Democrat word-salad gobbledygook, but usefully named the Republican she was trying to defeat ("Zach Nunn"), with the help (not ashamed of this fact) of millions of dollars of donations from out-of-state liberals and out-of-state campaign activists flooding into the district.

Here was my response:

"Thank you for warning me about this important issue. As suggested, I will be donating as much as I am legally able to the Zach Nunn campaign, to prevent the nation from falling to the communists.

Had it not been for your email helpfully informing me of his name and of this race's significance, I would not have known how important it was to keep him in office.

Cleverly disguising your message as a satire of a deceptive email from the communist side was an effective technique. Keep up the good work!"

Posted by: zombie at July 25, 2026 04:30 AM (Av6i5)

316 Pixy's up!

Posted by: m at July 25, 2026 04:47 AM (faghi)

317 A major reason the flashhider on the M16 was changed from the original open prong type to the closed birdcage type was due to the troops using the barrel as a pry bar to snap metal bands off packing crates.
——-

MCI aka C-Ration boxes in the field mostly, I expect. They were wrapped in heavy wire.

Posted by: Common Tater at July 25, 2026 05:28 AM (VGE5u)

318 Ohh, I late to the ONT once again, but, Weird Dave, this is a great collection.Really enjoyed lots of laughs

Posted by: JM in Illinois at July 25, 2026 05:58 AM (WhF6d)

319 Carl Sagan was something of a pothead
Posted by: Kindltot

I think the marxism was a bigger problem.
Posted by: weft cut-loop at July 24, 2026 11:07 PM

The problem with Sagan was that he imagined himself a Feynman.

Posted by: toby928(c) at July 25, 2026 12:43 PM (4NO2D)

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